Comprising of five sites, Hiraizumi’s temples, gardens,
and archeological sites representing the Buddhist Pure
Land were inscribed as World Heritage Sites in 2011. The
monuments date back to the 11th and 12th century when
Hiraizumi served as a prominent political and cultural
place of power.
Hiraizumi holds several preserved temples that were
based on Pure Land Buddhism. These four temples
include the Chuson-ji, Motsu-ji, Kanjizaiō-in Ato, and
Muryōkō-in Ato. The concept of Pure Land Buddhism and
the indigenous Japanese worship of nature and
Shintoism fused into a unique design and planning of
gardens. The Pure Land Gardens were built by ruling
clan family Ôshû Fujiwara. The four gardens of these
temples clearly exemplified a symbolic importance of the
diffusion of Buddhism and Japan’s nature worship. The
fifth UNESCO-designated site is Mount Kinkeisan, an
important link to the gardens and worship.
Unfortunately, much of the city and its structures were
destroyed when Hiraizumi lost its political and
administrative status in 1189. Two of the gardens were
reconstructed from excavations, and the other two
remain buried. Regardless, these temple complexes are
authentic manifestations of the Buddhist Pure Land
concept.
